Forlan chasing Uruguayan goals record

06 October 2011 06:35

Uruguay forward Diego Forlan is hoping he can make his country's goalscoring record his own as his side open their South American qualifying campaign for the 2014 World Cup against Bolivia on Friday.

The Inter Milan veteran scored twice as the Celeste landed the Copa America in July to take his international tally to 31 and he now shares the record with Hector Scarone.

Having been instrumental in Uruguay's record 15th continental triumph Forlan now hopes he can set a new mark as the 32-year-old focuses on the qualifying campaign for the World Cup finals in Brazil.

Scarone became a Uruguayan legend in winning Olympic crowns in 1924 and 1928 before winning the inaugural World Cup in 1930.

He bagged his first goal in light blue on September 2, 1917 - while World War I was still raging in Europe and the international game was still in its infancy - before netting his last strike during the first World Cup finals against Romania on July 21, 1930.

Former Manchester United misfit Forlan, now 32, has 82 caps under his belt, having set a new appearances record at the Copa to move past the 79 caps of former keeper Rodolfo Rodriguez, a star of the 1970s and 80s.

Sebastian Abreu is not too far behind Forlan in the goalscoring stakes but will have to go some if he is to set a new mark himself mark at the age of 34, having netted 26 goals to date.

Also coming up on the rails is Liverpool starlet Luis Suarez, who scored in the Copa America final win over Paraguay and who, at just 24, has hit 21 goals already in 49 games for his country.